Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-01
IELTS Writing Task 2 question
In many countries, people are now living longer than ever before. Some people say an aging population creates problems for governments. Other people think there are benefits if society has more elderly people.
To what extent do the advantages of having an aging population outweigh the disadvantages?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Student answer (Band 5.5)
We live in the era, where people are more conscious about their health than before, which results in healthy and expanded life span. In many countries, aging population growing as compared with the past years. The advantages of having an aging population largely outweigh the disadvantages.
Many people think that elderly people provide more benefits to the younger people of the country. Reason behind this thought is elderly posses the experience of life. This experience benefits the younger population. It can be for the job or business of any industry, quality of life, etc. For instance, If the grandparents started a business in their time, they know all about it, such as ups and downs, trends and challenges of the industry. So they better guide to their younger generation and help in expanding the business. Sometimes, they own the traditional thinking and it may seems difficult to follow. But it can be overcome either following their thought or make them understand about the obstacles and possible resolution. This is the major advantage of having the elderly people.
Some people say an aging population creates the problems for governments. Because they require more healthcare and pension while no longer contribute financially to the country. Due to aging, they become vulnerable to many disease and may spread it to the surrounding people. Instead of blaming them, government can focus more on medical advancement, diagnosis of disease and access for the treatment. With this country can have more research on medical sector and be the strong player in the health care industry.
From the above discussion, we can say that, aging population benefits the society and country as whole. There are some disadvantages as well to the society and country for having an aging population but it is possible to overcome.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses all parts of the prompt and maintains a clear position throughout, arguing that the advantages of an aging population outweigh the disadvantages. The ideas are relevant, such as the value of intergenerational experience and the potential for medical innovation. However, the development of these points is somewhat limited. For example, the argument regarding healthcare costs is addressed, but the discussion on 'spreading disease' is a weak and inaccurate point that lacks logical support. The essay would benefit from more depth in explaining how governments can leverage an aging population for economic or social growth beyond just medical research.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'For instance,' 'Because,' and 'From the above discussion.' However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly awkward, such as starting sentences with 'Because' or 'So.' The progression of ideas is generally clear, but the transition between the benefits of experience and the challenges of healthcare could be smoother to improve the overall flow of the argument.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band. There are some instances of imprecise word choice, such as 'expanded life span' instead of 'increased life expectancy' and 'own the traditional thinking' instead of 'hold traditional views.' While the meaning is generally clear, the range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, and there is little evidence of less common lexical items or idiomatic collocations that would demonstrate a more sophisticated command of the language.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, such as 'aging population growing' (missing auxiliary verb), 'elderly posses' (spelling error), 'it may seems' (incorrect verb form), and 'as whole' (missing article). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent the essay from reaching a higher band. Punctuation is generally functional, but there are some issues with comma usage and sentence boundaries.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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